Pasco Sheriff Ends License Plate Tracker Agreement With the County
WESLEY CHAPEL / PASCO COUNTY, FL — Pasco County's network of Sheriff's Office license plate tracker is being shut down, after Sheriff Chris Nocco said county commissioners no longer back the program that put them there.
In a letter to the Board of County Commissioners, Nocco announced he is terminating the county's license plate detection agreement effective September 30.
Why Nocco Is Ending It
Nocco pointed to two recent commission meetings — Aug. 11 and Aug. 25 — as the reason behind the decision. "It is clear to me from the discussion at the last two meetings that I have listened to of the Board of County Commissioners... that a majority of the Board of County Commissioners no longer support this agreement which you passed unanimously on December 10, 2024," Nocco wrote, adding that he wanted to thank the commissioners who had continued to stand with law enforcement.
The agreement being terminated is the same one commissioners approved unanimously less than two years ago.
What the Sheriff Says Is at Stake
In his letter, Nocco warned that losing the county's support for the program will have real consequences for his office's work, specifically citing its impact on "the solvability of crimes and our ability to locate missing and endangered children and adults, including the victims of human trafficking." He added that the change will also strain the Sheriff's Office's already limited resources.
What Won't Change
Despite the termination, license plate readers aren't disappearing from Pasco County altogether. Nocco's office noted that there are currently more plate readers installed by private entities — such as HOAs and business properties — than there are placed directly by the Sheriff's Office, and none of those private cameras are affected by this decision.
The timing is notable: the termination comes just weeks after the Sheriff's Office announced, on Aug. 10, that it was switching the technology vendor behind its plate readers from Flock to Axon.
Why It Matters for Wesley Chapel
License plate readers have become a flashpoint nationally over privacy concerns, even as law enforcement agencies point to them as a tool for solving crimes and finding missing people. With the county's own network winding down by the end of September, residents may notice fewer Sheriff's Office-operated cameras around Wesley Chapel — though coverage from private properties in the area will remain unaffected.
📍 Pasco County Sheriff's Office
📅 Termination announced: August 25, 2026 | Effective: September 30, 2026
